DE29814482U1 - Muzzle insert - Google Patents

Description

Dr. Walter Frohn 12 August 1998

DEGD-66864.4

Container mouth insert

The invention relates to a container mouth insert according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a container is known from DE 2153155 A1. The known container mouth insert is inserted into a container mouth formed on a sloping side of a container. The ventilation tube of the known container mouth insert is formed by an attachment tube that is connected in one piece to the pouring tube and has a first section that runs in the axial direction of the pouring tube and a second section that, after a bend, points towards the upper part of the rear wall of the container. A ventilation tube is inserted into the second section. The attachment tube is rigid in the area of the bend so that the attachment tube is dimensionally stable. Since the container mouth points diagonally upwards, it is possible to insert the container mouth insert into the container mouth in such a way that the ventilation tube extends approximately horizontally. If the known container mouth insert is inserted into a vertical container mouth, however, the ventilation tube extends diagonally downwards. In this case, if the container is completely full, ventilation through the ventilation tube is not possible because the free end of the ventilation tube is below the liquid level. Adequate ventilation is only possible once enough liquid has been poured out of the container.

To solve this problem, it is not possible to increase the bending angle of the attachment tube, since at an increased bending angle, due to the stiffness of the

It would not be possible to insert the container mouth insert into the container mouth without removing the attachment tube.

A further disadvantage of the known container mouth insert is that a complicated movement process is required for automated insertion into the container mouth.

The invention is based on the object of creating a container mouth insert with structurally simple means, which can be easily inserted into a container and ensures sufficient ventilation even when the container is full.

This object is achieved by a container mouth insert having the features of claim 1.

The container mouth insert according to the invention can be inserted into a container mouth with a linear movement if the ventilation tube extends in line with the central axis of the ventilation opening or at a slight angle to it. When the container is filled with liquid, the float floats on the surface of the liquid and raises the free end of the ventilation tube. This ensures that sufficient ventilation is guaranteed at any liquid level in the container.

Since only a linear movement is required to insert the container mouth insert into the container mouth, the assembly of the container mouth insert can be easily automated.

If the flexible bracket section is designed to be rigid, the ventilation pipe remains even after emptying

of the container in its uppermost layer. Preferably, the flexible bending section is formed from a rigid multi-tube section, similar to a bending straw.

The float can be made as an air cushion or from closed cell foam. The prerequisite is that the buoyancy of the float is so great that it overcomes the bending resistance of the bending section. The least buoyancy for a float is required when the float is attached to the free end of the vent pipe. If the float is attached to the side of the vent pipe opposite the bending direction, it is ensured that the free end of the vent pipe is above the liquid level.

In order to avoid twisting of the container mouth insert in the container mouth, it is advisable to provide means for securing it to the pouring tube in a rotationally secure manner.

Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned side view of the upper portion of a container into which a container mouth insert is inserted;

Fig. 2 shows the section A-B of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows the container mouth insert used in the container of Fig. 1 in the installed position;

Fig. 4 shows section C-D of Fig. 1;

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Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment of the container mouth insert in view of Fig. 2.

The cuboid container 10 made of blown plastic with rounded corners and edges shown in Fig. 1 has on its upper wall 15 adjacent to its narrow front wall 11 a vertically extending outlet nozzle 12 forming a container mouth, which is provided with an external thread 14 onto which a cap (not shown) can be screwed to close the container 10. In the middle area of the upper wall

15 of the container 10 has a container handle 13 formed thereon.

A container mouth insert is fitted into the outlet nozzle 12

16 as shown in Fig. 3. The container mouth insert 16 has a cylindrical sleeve part 18, the outer diameter of which corresponds essentially to the inner diameter of the outlet nozzle 12. Inside the sleeve part 18, a pouring tube 20 is arranged at a distance from the inner wall of the sleeve part 18 so that its upper edge is flush with the upper edge of the sleeve part 18. The lower end of the pouring tube is connected to the lower end of the sleeve part 18 by an annular collecting base 22. The height of the sleeve part 18 increases continuously from the left area shown in Fig. 3, adjacent to the front wall 11, to the diametrically opposite right area. On a radial line of the sleeve part 18, the height of the pouring tube 20 corresponds to the height of the sleeve part 18, so that the collecting base 22 runs horizontally between two opposite points of the pouring tube 20 and the sleeve part 18. At the lowest point of the collecting base 22, a ventilation opening 24 is provided, the central axis of which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical sleeve part 18.

A ventilation pipe is connected to the ventilation opening 24. In the installation position shown in Fig. 3, the ventilation pipe 26 extends vertically downwards so that the longitudinal axis of the ventilation pipe 26 is aligned with the central axis of the ventilation opening 24. The ventilation pipe 26 has a pivotable corrugated pipe section 28 adjacent to the ventilation opening 24, the corrugation of which is shaped so that it can assume a bending angle of 0° to 90° when the ventilation pipe is bent. The corrugated pipe section 28 is followed by a pipe section 30 which widens conically downwards. A float 32 with an air chamber 34 (Fig. 4) is attached to the outside of the free end of the pipe section 30 in the area below the pouring pipe 20.

On the outside of the sleeve section 18, two recesses 36 are arranged diametrically opposite each other.

Fig. 1 shows the container mouth insert shown in Fig. 3 with the ventilation pipe 26 pivoted by 90°, whereby pipe part 30 rests against the upper wall 38 of the container 10. The free end of the pipe part 30 and the float 32 are located near the rear wall 17 of the container 10, whereby the float 32 is arranged below the free end of the pipe part 30.

To achieve this position of the ventilation pipe 26, the container mouth insert 16 is inserted vertically into the mouth of the outlet nozzle 12 in the installation position shown in Fig. 3, whereby projections in the inner wall of the outlet nozzle 12 engage in corresponding diametrically opposite recesses 36 for securing the container mouth insert 16 against rotation. The ventilation opening 24 is in this position in the area of the

collecting base 22. The ventilation pipe 26 can be slightly bent in the direction of arrow B (Fig. 3) before being inserted into the container, i.e. in the bending direction provided later. After inserting the container mouth insert 16 into the container 10, the container 10 is filled with the liquid to be transported or stored. During filling, the float 32 floats on the liquid level, so that the pipe part 30 is bent upwards as the liquid level rises until it hits the top wall 15 of the container 10. The bending characteristics of the corrugated pipe section 28 are selected so that the pipe part 30 remains in the bent position shown in Fig. 1 after the container 10 has been emptied.

Alternatively, it is possible to swivel the ventilation pipe 26 up to 90° when the container 10 is not full by means of an automatic feed device.

The buoyancy of the float 32 is selected such that a bend of the ventilation pipe 26 is ensured when the liquid level rises.

The second embodiment of the container mouth insert 16 shown in Fig. 5 differs from the first embodiment in that the pouring tube 20 and the sleeve part 18 are interrupted at the point diametrically opposite the ventilation opening 24, with the free legs of the sleeve part 18 and the pouring tube 20 being connected to one another to form a clasp. The diameter of the sleeve part 18 in this embodiment is selected to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the outlet nozzle 12. When inserting the container mouth insert 16, the free legs of the sleeve part 18 are pressed together so that the sleeve part 18 is in

the mouth of the outlet nozzle 12 fits. The free ends of the sleeve part 18 are then released, lock in an annular recess in the mouth of the outlet nozzle 12 and exert a compressive force on the inner wall of the outlet nozzle 12, thereby creating a clamping fit.

Claims (7)

Protection claims 1. Container mouth insert with - a pouring tube (20) and a ventilation opening (24) adjacent to the pouring tube (20) and - a ventilation pipe (26) connected to the ventilation opening (24), characterized in that - that the ventilation pipe (26) has a flexible bending section (28) adjacent to the ventilation opening (24) and - a float (32) is attached to the ventilation pipe (26) between the flexible bending section (28) and the free end of the ventilation pipe (26). 2. Container mouth insert according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible bending section (28) is designed such that it remains in its bending position at a bending angle of 0° to 90° when the force exerted on the ventilation pipe (26) by the buoyancy force of the float (32) falls below a certain value. 3. Container mouth insert according to claim 2, characterized in that the flexible bending section is formed by a rigid corrugated pipe section (28). 4. Container mouth insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the float (32) is formed by an air cushion or another body whose density is lower than the density of the filling material to be filled into the container (10). 5. Container mouth insert according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the float is formed from a foam with closed cells. 6. Container mouth insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the float (32) is mounted adjacent to the free end of the ventilation tube (26) opposite to the bending direction. 7. Container mouth insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means (36) for a rotationally secure fastening in a container mouth (12) are provided on the pouring tube (20).